Historically, the people of Russia have been no
stranger to tyranny. However trampled was the spirit of the Russian people
during the miseries of Communism, it did produce some very stirring and tuneful
music, often based on traditional folk melodies, sometimes operatically
inspired. It was also the Communist way to encourage the people to sing about
its great triumphs, of which obviously the Great Revolution in 1917 was
foremost, followed by the Great Patriotic War, which is how Soviet Russia named
its part in the Second World War. Even in the greatest depths of the Cold War,
cultural exchanges took place between East and West, led by Moscow’s prestigious
Bolshoi Ballet. Perhaps surprisingly, also popular in the West was the Russian
Army Ensemble; whilst doubtless its ranks contained an appropriate number of KGB
agents, it was essentially a large singing and dancing group, and very exuberant
and entertaining it was too. This collection evokes memories of visits and
recordings by the Russian Army Ensemble and others, and although the subject
matter is often very serious and sometimes comical by Western tastes, no one can
doubt the tunefulness, vigour and sincerity of the result.

Track Listing

SONGS OF THE CIVIL WAR, 1917 1. WE SHALL BRAVELY GO INTO BATTLE
2. WE, THE RED SOLDIERS 3. THE SHOOTING OF THE COMMUNARDS4. THE
SEEING OFF OF VANYA 5. BUDENNIY MARCH6. YOUNG GUARDS 7. FAR AWAY,
ACROSS THE RIVER8. CHAPAEV, THE HERO WAGED WAR IN THE URALS 9. OVER
HILLS AND DALES10. OUR LOCOMOTIVE 11. SONG OF THE COMMUNESONGS OF
THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR, 1941 - 194512. SCARED STONE13. ROSTOV
TOWN14. LILACS ARE BLOOMING15. LIZAVETA 16. NIGHTINGALES17.
KATYUSHA 18. SAD WILLOWS 19. PLAY, MY ACCORDION